Now I'm 60 I've decided on a trip round the world. I've booked a tour of New Zealand in mid-February 2008, and would like to travel mainly overland. I'm giving myself around four months. I know I can reach Beijing via the Trans-Siberian railway, and thence down through China towards Singapore. From Singapore, I'm not sure how to proceed to Australia: cargo boats seem very expensive. I'd love to visit Uluru and the Olgas on my way, and want to see relatives in Melbourne before probably taking a flight to NZ.Margot Oakenby, Oxford

I'm asked this question more and more but the answer remains the same. To get to Australia without flying, your only realistic option is to travel by freighter from a large south-east Asian port, most commonly Singapore.

This is neither cheap nor quick - the journey from Singapore to Brisbane or Sydney normally takes six to eight days and costs about £85 a day. Cargo ship journeys can be arranged, with plenty of notice, through an agency such as the Cruise People (020 7723 2450; members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/home.htm). You will need to be flexible about departure dates and arrival cities. All voyages from south-east Asia to Australia offered by the Cruise People are fully booked until March 2008.

Blogs such as tinyurl.com/ytf39l recommend Freighter Travel (freightertravel.co.nz) for arranging passage from Asia to Australia or New Zealand once you're on the road, but as this type of travel becomes more popular, you risk not getting a berth.

To minimise flying I'd suggest taking the Trans-Mongolian railway to China, eliminating a large proportion of air travel, then flying to Australia/New Zealand, and looking into freighters for some of the return journey, from the US to the UK for example. The Cruise People offer voyages from Richmond, Virginia or Chester, Pennsylvania to Liverpool, taking 12-14 days and costing from £1205 for single occupancy of a double cabin.

My passport is due for renewal in mid-2008. I am concerned about giving my biometric information so I need to know when the UK passport service will start processing renewals requiring this. Is there some sort of deadline before which I can renew on the existing 'old' method?John Massemann, by email

All new UK passports issued since October 2006 have included a biometric chip, so you are too late to renew for a new 10-year non-biometric passport. I suspect, however, that your question is driven by a desire to avoid carrying a document with excessive personal information on it. First-generation biometric 'e-passports', including UK ones, contain only the 'facial' biometric. As part of the application process, facial features are scanned using a passport photo - this is to allow for automated recognition checks in the future. Apart from this, the data on the chip are exactly the same as on the personal data page on your passport. You can view this information at passport offices in Belfast, Glasgow, Durham, Liverpool, Peterborough, London and Newport, where there are public biometric passport-reading terminals.

Other EU countries will introduce a second-generation biometric passport, which will also include fingerprints, at some point in 2009. The UK intends to do this too, so as not to let the British passport become second-rate in terms of security features.

A key factor of UK biometric passports is that they allow British nationals to travel visa-free to countries such as the US, which insist on visitors carrying biometric passports. However, you'll still be subjected to the fingerprints and photo procedures on entry. Go to passport.gov.uk/general_biometrics_passports.asp for an overview.

We are a group of four childless thirtysomethings (two couples) desperately hanging on to our youth. We are looking for a long weekend break in October in self-catering accommodation in a beautiful part of the UK. We originally thought of Scotland but have been disappointed by the cottages on websites. We are used to boutique hotels and want that luxury in self-catering.Matt Hawksworth, Oxford

These properties do exist, but you've got to look hard for them. The South West England tourist board have set up a special 'luxury travel' website - indulgesouthwest.co.uk - which lists lots of posh cottages from Cornwall to the Cotswolds. Alternatively, check out Higher Wiscombe in east Devon (higherwiscombe.com) and Well Cottage in Kent's North Downs (wellcottagekent.co.uk), both of which were commended by the 2007 Enjoy England Excellence Awards. Rural Retreats (ruralretreats.co.uk) has an impressive collection of high-spec properties throughout the UK (including Scotland). Lastly, Mr & Mrs Smith (mrandmrssmith.com), the guidebook and website publisher which focuses on sexy boutique hotels, recently expanded their remit to include self-catering properties, all of which meet your big-white-towel requirements. Most are, however, larger properties.

Letter of the week

I've booked a two-week tour of Cuba in November with my partner. We'll be whizzing all over the island but will be in Havana for four nights. Our hotel isn't very central, and looks as charming as Khrushchev on a cold morning. My son, who lived in Cuba for a few months, suggests we stay in a casa particular (private home) for at least a night to get more of a flavour of Cuban life. I'm keen but my know-all son can't recommend a specific place and warns they open and close at alarming speed. Can you help? Jonna Eilers, Essex

Your son is right: staying in a casa particular is a great way to broaden your view of Cuba. Casas particulares are heavily regulated by the government, with high operational taxes - some owners find the cost and effort are not worthwhile and so quickly shut up shop. However, many casas are well established, and this is particularly true in Habana Vieja, the old town. Do your homework first: compare traveller reviews and book online or by phone. Try casaparticular.info and cuba-junky.com for up-to-date reviews and booking information.

· Readers' recommendations are very welcome if anyone is willing to reveal their own stylish boltholes.